First prize: Best pavement art in new streetscape

This is Argyle Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, a downtown street known for its entertainment and dining. As part of a streetscape improvement project, the pavement was painted in an argyle pattern. Whoever had this idea should get a prize, and it lifts my spirits. This photo is from Increments of Neighborhood, a book by Brian O'Looney that I reviewed March 26. With the improvements—which include reclaiming parts of the street for seating, in addition to lighting and street trees—traffic is calmed, and the street looks and feels intimate, festive, and safe. On-street parking, which is needed for the storefront merchants, is retained.